Money while traveling

A big question is what to do about money while traveling. It is really very simple and easy.

You can exchange USD for Euros at most American Banks. You can also do so at airports on either side of the ocean. You can take out euros at the ATM's in Germany.

I will get some Euros before I leave - probably 150 or so. My bank has a flat fee whether I get 100 or 10,000. So, I will be collecting USD's from our students and including them in my exchange. Other groups might want to organize and do the same.

Most places will accept your American VISA/Mastercard. But, there are often fees associated with International transactions. These might be a flat fee, they might be a percentage. You can check with your bank.

Germans tend to use cash. They don't pull out the Debit card at every meal. Be considerate and plan to pay cash for your meals.

If you want to use a credit card for souvenirs, that should work. But, you never know what that service fee is going to be.

I use cash for most of my transactions. When I use up what I brought with me, I will go to a bank and make one larger withdrawal (100-200 if needed.)

My bank has a reciprocal relationship with one of the major German banks - so I only pay a small ATM fee. Check with your bank to see what they offer.

REMEMBER to call your bank before you leave and let them know that you will be in Germany. If they don't know this and charges appear, they may shut the card down.

I do have multiple cards. I carry two on a trip like this. I put them in separate places, so if one is stolen, I have another; if one gets blocked by the bank back home, I can use the other. I do this because I am "leading" the group and I have to have access to money. You might not want to do this, or need to. But, if you have two cards, it is something to think about.

One other comment - about tipping. German wait staff are paid a more reasonable wage than American counterparts. They appreciate tips, but don't live on them. The typical tip is to round up to the next euro. If your tab is 6,40, pay 7 euro. If you are paying for a number of persons, or the tab is larger, you might leave 2 or 3 euro. If you leave 18% (American minimum) they might chase you out of the restaurant and tell you you left your change on the table. This happened to us our first dinner in Eisleben in 2004.